The functional vessels of human and animal bodies, such as blood vessels and ducts, occasionally weaken or even rupture. For example, the aortic wall can weaken, resulting in an aneurysm. Upon further exposure to hemodynamic forces, such an aneurysm can rupture.
Endovascular treatment of aortic aneurysms can be simplified by use of preloaded components such as wires, catheters, and/or sheaths. These preloaded components can be preloaded into a delivery system (e.g., into an introducer) and/or a prosthetic device prior to introduction into a patient to aid in delivery of additional prosthetic devices (e.g., branch extension prostheses) into the main prosthetic device. These preloaded components may help to simplify branch vessel cannulation, shorten procedural times, and/or provide improved outcomes for patients.
In some pre-loaded introducers, the sheath, guide wire and/or catheter often extend substantially the entire length of the introducer, between the proximal and distal ends. As such, one or more of these pre-loaded components are typically required to be a relatively greater length than the introducer so as to extend along the length of the introducer, traverse the delivery system handle and still allow a sufficient working length to access target arteries. A pre-loaded delivery system and method is described herein that shortens one or more of the pre-loaded components as well as shorten the overall length of the delivery system while simplifying branch vessel cannulation, shorten procedural times and provide better patient outcomes, among other advantages.